title: Field dependence of temperature induced irreversible transformations of magnetic phases in Pr(0.5)Ca(0.5)Mn(0.975)Al(0.025)O(3) crystalline oxide.
abstract: Glass-like arrest has recently been reported in various magnetic materials. As in structural glasses, the kinetics of a first order transformation is arrested while retaining the higher entropy phase as a non-ergodic state. We show visual mesoscopic evidence of the irreversible transformation of the arrested antiferromagnetic-insulating phase in Pr(0.5)Ca(0.5)Mn(0.975)Al(0.025)O(3) to its equilibrium ferromagnetic-metallic phase with an isothermal increase of magnetic field, similar to its iso-field transformation on warming. The magnetic field dependence of the non-equilibrium to equilibrium transformation temperature is shown to be governed by Le Chatelier's principle.
authors.affiliation: UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, University Campus, Khandwa Road, Indore-452017, M.P, India.
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lakhani
authors.forename: Pallavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kushwaha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rawat
authors.forename: Kranti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaddah